Whether you are looking for a quiet date in a flower-filled park or a German style booze fest, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has it all. Here is a list of events and festivals in the DFW area to spice up your weekends for the month of September.

47th Annual National Championship Indian Pow Wow

Sept. 11 – 13

See traditional tribe dancers from across the country dressed from head to toe in beadwork, buckskins and bells dance to the drums of native America. This festival in Grand Prairie will also include arts and crafts, traditional foods and an authentic teepee exhibit.

Time: Friday 6 p.m. – midnight; Saturday 10 a.m. – midnight; Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

City: Grand Prairie

Admission: Free; $3 parking

www.tradersvillage.com/en/grandprairie/festivals

ZestFest 2009

Sept. 11 – 13 –

Make your nose run at this spicy shindig that will have cooking performances, live entertainment and bold foods to sample. Hosted by Chile Pepper Magazine, you will be sure to get your zest fix at the ZestFest.

Time: Friday 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

City: Fort Worth, Will Rogers Memorial Center (inside)

Admission: $10

www.zestfest2009.com/html/

Jazz by the Boulevard

Sept. 11 – 13

Boogie woogie down to Fort Worth’s Will Rogers Memorial Center for a weekend of continuous jazz and entertainment. This event raises money to beautify and bountify the city’s cultural district even further.

Time: Friday 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday 12 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.

City: Fort Worth, Will Rogers Memorial Center (outside)

Admission: $5

www.fortworthjazz.com

23rd Annual Grapefest

Sept. 17 – 20

Like grapes? Like alcohol? Then Grapevine is where you need to be to sample chardonnay, merlot, and the like from our very own Texan vineyards. You can even stomp your own grapes!

Time: Thursday 10 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

City: Grapevine

Admission: Free Thursday and Friday until evening; $8 after 5 p.m. Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday

www.grapevinetexasusa.com/GrapeFest/

22nd Annual Addison Oktoberfest

Sept. 17 – 20

“Prost”, or “cheers” in English, will be hollered from every corner at this German festival. Any beer-lover or wienerschnitzel fan will find comfort in the traditional food passed down from German immigrants that will be present here, as well as traditional costumes, dancing and music.

Time: Thursday 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m. – midnight; Saturday 12 p.m. – midnight; Sunday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

City: Addison

Admission: Free Thursday; $5 Friday through Sunday

www.addisontexas.net/events/oktoberfest/

Plano Balloon Festival

Sept. 18 – 20

Up, up and away! Take a ride in a hot air balloon or just enjoy the majestic scenery of a colorful balloon gathering across the Texas horizon. In addition to live entertainment and food provided by nonprofit agencies, this festival has fireworks and balloon glows each night.

Time: Friday 4 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.; Saturday 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sunday 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.

City: Plano

Admission: $5 – one-time admission; $8 – two-time admission

Balloon Ride: $250 . zoinks!

www.planoballoonfest.org/

Fort Worth Militaria Show

Sept. 18 – 20

Although you can’t carry them on campus, go buy or admire a gun at the Amon G. Carter Exhibit Halls, which showcase more than 400 gun, ammo and militia-filled tables from as far back as the Civil War.

Time: Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

City: Fort Worth, Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall

Admission: $10

www.ftworthmilitariashow.com

Autumn at the Arboretum

Sept. 19 – Nov. 1

Experience the brilliant colors of a usually bleak Texas autumn at the Dallas Arboretum where 66 acres of more than 150,000 flowers bloom each year. Whether it be marigolds or chrysanthemums, your favorite fall flower is sure to be found here.

Time: daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

City: Dallas

Admission: Free unless a special weekend event

www.dallasarboretum.org

Greek Food Festival of Dallas

Sept. 25 – 27

If you love gyros, Greek dancing and shots of ouzo then, this is the place for you. Exchange your “yehaw” for an “OPA” at this wonderfully Greek-infested festival.

Time: Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

City: Dallas

Admission: $5

www.greekfestivalofdallas.com

State Fair of Texas

Sept. 25 – Oct. 18

This event is hard to miss: head east down I-30 and look for the creepy 52-foot statue waving his fellow Texans to come on over to the fair. For rides, shows and all the fried foods you fantasize about, go to the State Fair of Texas at the Dallas Fair Park.

Time: Friday through Monday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

City: Dallas

Admission: $15

www.bigtex.com